Legacy of Kain The Wheel of Fate
by Asrael Shannara
Summary: ETERNITY IS RELENTLESS Kain goes to the time of the Ancient vampires. And an amnesic ancient wakes in a post SR 1 Nosgoth ruled by Hylden. A story of destiny, love, loyalty and betrayal.Features the original Guardians. Continues from Defiance. Ch 5 is up
1. Chapter 1

_Change is inevitable. One who refuses changed is doomed to fail._

_The liberation of mind is only possible by accepting change._

_More than that accepting that you, yourself will, and at some_

_point change will bring about the epiphany that will make you gaze _

_upon your own destiny. You need not be a clairvoyant to understand it_

from the GodEmperor's speech before the

assault of Nachtholm, 3rd year of the 5th Age

He peered out from the top of the citadel domed council room towards the smoke rising in the distance. A forested land, serene at a glance, but corrupted for decades. The trail of smoke was a testimony of that decay of this once beautiful land. And its future was even darker. He should know. For he made it so. How this land suffers! Will it end? That was what he hoped. But this will not be so for millennia to come.

The Pillars had toppled, cracked for years, the mighty columns, white and glistening, whiter than snow, infinitely rising into the clouds, were tied to the land. If they were flawless, the land was healthy. All that now remained were stubs, poking out of the ground, like corpses of mythical creatures. He could not see this though. All there was to be seen was the dying smoke. In a few minutes there will be nothing more. A clear view towards a great lake through a forested line of hills. No more was this vista obstructed by the nine white columns rising in the middle, from the ground, and lost their tips in the clouds above. The land of Nosgoth was in pain. He could feel it.

He, a relic, a pawn, a puppet master, he. No longer sure of what he had wanted to achieve. For at this very moment his three fingered hand held the weapon he was ultimately destined to wield. A blade, a serpentine blade along which coursed tiny flames, red and yellow, blue and green. The winding blade was as sharp as any razor and as durable as the toughest granite. Between the pommel and the blade stood a cracked skull, looking angrily at anyone who dared to challenge its wielder. Its long canine gave a clue to its forgers. Four angled bone like ribs were the guard. The overall aspect didn't seam to be the weapon of an angelic race who made it for their destined hero. And it was no longer. Just moments ago it was changed, imbued with a new power. It was now the Soul Reaver.

He looked at it.

"You gave me hope, Raziel. Something I have never given you in all your life."

He struggled to get an answer from the blade, but it was silent. The soul trapped inside, Raziel's soul, could or would not speak. His sacrifice gave the weapon power beyond what its forgers intended it to have.

He put the blade on its rightful place on his back. He took out a large piece of metal. It was golden and incrusted. In its middle laid the skull of the Reaver encircled by for edged emblems of fire, dimension, lightning and time. A balance emblem. It was as big as both his hands. Before the making of the Soul Reaver, he used each of these emblems to give his blade a certain power. It was now useless. He could feel it. He placed it on the floor.

He knew he had no more use for it . It was redundant. The emblem had played its part well. It was time to get rid of it. Anything that outlives its usefulness will more than likely become an obstacle later. In his characteristic way of thinking, the emblem's fate was rapidly decided.

He took the Reaver, turned it in his hand. Using both of his palms, he wrapped his clawed fingers on the blade's pommel. The tip was pointing at the emblem.

He knew that if he would just throw it away or hide it, someone might find it. It may be useless to him now, but not to others. Who knows what it could bestow another bearer? It had to be destroyed.

He concentrated. His eyes were shut. He would crate a blast from the blade to totally obliterate the emblem.

He raised the Reaver. The blade came down on the metal fast, driving its tip straight through, while he kneeled on one foot. A quick energy wave flashed along the blade. Then it was done. The emblem was dust.

Only a small twisting red vapor remained where the skull used to be. Curious. Kain frowned as he looked at the remnants. Like a living thing it wrapped itself loosely on the tip of the Reaver. Most strange He had never seen anything like this before. It must be the emblem's core power.

The vapor made its way up along the blade spiraling around it. His eyes widened briefly. Would the Reaver absorb it? No. The worm like vapor made its way up the skull and the pommel and around his hand. He felt a slight tingle through his armband. It continued spiraling along. It reached his elbow. He rose . The Reaver was in his left hand. The other, he raised to get a closer look at this strange thing that was wrapping itself around its right elbow. His armband ended half way up his biceps. When the red twisting vapor reached his skin it rapidly entered his body. A sharp pain shot up through his veins. It was like fire spreading. It was excruciating. The room began to fade in and out. He didn't feel the floor any more. He felt he was floating, dizzily around. The room was swiveling, turning on an unseen axis. The pain reached his head. After the vertigo came the splitting pain, which felt like every nerve of his brain was on fire. He felt his skin blistering. His bones cracking. He looked at both his arms. They were fading in and out but seamed normal. A powerful shriek reached his ears. It came from everywhere and nowhere at once. He couldn't think. He put his hands over his ears. No good. He closed his eyes. The pain grew. He screamed, but he couldn't hear himself. He opened his eyes. His field of sight was now limited. Darkness crept around. The view was different. He was laying on the floor. He never felt his falling. He never felt dropping the Reaver. He didn't feel the hard cold stone floor beneath him. Darkness completed. The pain was in every fiber of his body. He slipped away into unconsciousness.

Pain. Blistering excruciating pain. He felt his head being cracked open. His muscles ached. He felt he was suffocating. He forced his lungs to enlarge and take in the cold damp air that surrounded him. He focused on his breathing. In and out. The pain started to recede. He opened his eyes when it was finally gone.

White. All around. He started blinking. Still white. Was he blind? He suddenly felt cold on his back. He raised his arms. His muscles responded and ached no more. He laid them on the floor on which he was spread on his back. Hard stone. Cold. He shut his eyes tightly. He knew that he was in a room of some sort and that his vision was impaired. His eyes opened. Much better. Although it wasn't clear, his now misty vision conferred to him the room where he was. A high domed roof was above him, the walls were covered in relieves with columns imbedded in them. He brought his arms in his range. He turned them on both sides. Strange. His three clawed finger hands were covered in grey blue skin. He turned on one side to raise his body up. He stood on his two fingered cloven feet. Then it dawned on him.

"What am I? and best of all, who am I?" his voice rang out across the room.

He had no recollection of anything before this moment. He looked around. He was naked his whole body athletic and ready for battle. Battle. Yes, somehow he knew he was ready for one. He must have been a fighter. He had to be born once, been a child once. He could not place his age. He felt young. And he felt something else twitching on his back.

He worked on the muscles on his back. He smiled. Whoever or whatever he was he had the power of flight. For as he gazed upwards he saw that he had spread the wings on his back. Large and shining, the black feathers stood still awaiting his command. He then folded them on his back. Interesting, he thought to himself. He felt better. He knew not where he was, who or even what he was, but the presence of the wings gave him an exhilarating feeling that he was capable of many things.

He decided to inspect his surroundings. He turned to look at what seamed as stone thrones incrusted with different motives. And beyond a wall that was partially broken. It gave way to a vista of a lake an beyond, a forest covered hill range. He was clearly at the top of a structure. He took a step towards the wall. He stepped on something. As he looked down and retrieved his foot he saw a long white piece of cloth. He bent down to inspect it. His fingers touched it. Fine and silky. As he looked closer he realized that the cloth was adorned with a pair of black symbols. He frowned as his blood began to boil. Rage came over him. A murderous desire to punish to destroy. He suddenly felt a sharp pain. He realized that his claws almost pierced his skin as his fists tightened.

"Why do these symbols evoke such feelings in me? What am I?"

He raised himself and used the cloth to cover his mid section. It was more than enough that it hung in front of the swift knot he had made to stop it falling as he walked. He wanted to go to the broken wall to better inspect the land he was in.

A loud crash. It rapidly drew his attention away from the landscape. The noise came from deep beneath him, a few floors down in this structure. He turned swiftly and ran towards where he thought the sound had originated. If anyone was inn this ancient place then maybe they could explain what he was. He exited the room and ran on the twisting corridors keeping his ears ready to pick up any further noise. He went down two floors and stopped. He was presented with a multitude of passages he could take. But which was the right one?

A loud crash of metal on stone rang out. He made his choice rapidly. He took the corridor to the left and ran. He went down stairs, doubled back when he reached dead ends, cursing this labyrinthine edifice. As the minutes ticked away, he thought he lost his quarry. As he turned right on a corridor he saw the initiator of the first noise he had heard. A large section of the stone floor had given way and left a gaping hole in the middle. He peered in it. A low fire light illuminated the dark room that was beneath him.

With a deep intake of air he jumped in.

Mobieus .Mobieus was behind this. The Time Streamer had led him to the balance emblem. He must have tempered with it. His enemy would hurt him even from beyond the grave.

Mobieus. The Guardian of Time. One of the nine guardians that served each pillar. Mobieus. The human who refused to be made a vampire by the winged race. Mobieus. The rebel who started a crusade against the vampires in Nosgoth using the elite fighters and wizards constituted in the Sarafan Brotherhood. Mobieus, beheaded by him before the pillars toppled when he was in his early twenties, a fledgling vampire unaware of his destiny. Mobieus. Killed again. Or rather his corps impaled on the Reaver, moments before the pillars fell. It happened in the depths of this citadel, in the Spirit Forge, where Raziel used that body to speak to him. He who came from millennia ahead, to this time. He who was again manipulated by Mobieus.

Was he dead? Was he a spirit?

He opened his eyes. Well, at least he could see. He was on the floor on a ruined stone room, the same room where he destroyed the balance emblem. His body was spread out. His hands laid in front while his head was on its side. He raised it. Definitely the same room. He looked at his hands still in their armbands which covered him from the tips of his claws to half way up his biceps. He looked around. In front was the broken wall which gave the view he earlier saw. The trail of smoke was no more. The Reaver was on the floor in front of him. Around it the gold dust glistened in the pale light.

How long had he been laying there? For he knew for certain that he was alive. Had Mobieus failed after all? Or maybe it wasn't The Time Streamer who did it. One other creature came to mind. Only another could have done such a thing. The enemy, the true enemy.

It the citadel's depths, in the Spirit Forge , Raziel became trapped in the Reaver. He purified the blade, made it what it was now. But he also purified another. Raziel made him see the face of the enemy, part of which was in the forge. A mass of unblinking eyes and tentacles, which tried to bury him there. He damaged the thing and managed to escape, while the forge room collapsed on itself. It was a cancer that spread beneath Nosgoth invisible to any. He lived of the souls of others , of the dead, he thrived in the spirit world, the Underworld. Although it was clear that this thing, called the Elder God, could materially manifest itself. It was this thing which the Ancient winged race worshiped as a god,. This abomination who boasted that it was the hub of the Weal of Fate, to which all souls abide. Monstrosity. This Elder God was Mobieus' master. The Time Streamer's power came from this one. The destruction of this abomination will restore Nosgoth's health. Or at least he hoped.

"So many probabilities. So many implications. Does history have many more turns? All in due time. First things first." He said aloud to himself.

It mattered little which one did it. Mobieus was dead and finally gone. One enemy remained, the true enemy. Laying on this cold floor will not finish the latter. He had to get up.

His fingers touched the Reaver's pommel. They wrapped tight around it. He drew it closer. He pushed himself on his hands. A feeling of dizziness came over him. He was week. He put one foot on the floor and rested on one knee. He straightened his back. The dizziness was gone. He still felt week. He pushed the Reaver's tip in the floor and used it as a cane. He slowly rose to his feet. He was still alive and the Soul Reaver was still in his hands.

How long did he lay there? He gazed through the broken wall at the view outside. The time of the day gave him no clue.

Suddenly he felt something was wrong. He felt he was different. He looked at his left hand. Same hand. He looked down at his feet. In the same boots. Something was different. He felt it. Heard it. His heart was beating. Amazing! He thought how silly it seemed to be amazed of his beating heart. He had been a vampire for millennia, although he was in his own past. The amazing part is that he lost his heart and died a second time.

Before the pillars collapsed, before the making of the Soul Reaver Raziel was hell bent on killing him. They finally dueled in the main hall of Avernus Cathedral. In his chest was the beating heart of darkness the item used to bring back a vampire to life. The item was the heart of Janos Audron, the last living vampire of the ancient winged race. Raziel was in need of it. And it was in Avernus that it was pulled out of his chest. He had survived. He was heartless after all. Until now.

A new heart was beating in his own heart.. He had a heart again. He placed his left hand on his chest. Marvelous.

But he felt that this wasn't the only different thing. He gazed at his feet again. Nothing different, He lifted his head. He felt a strange weight in his back. The Reaver was still in his hand. He gazed over his right shoulder, and there it was, on his back, a part of him. He looked over his left shoulder. A part of him.

He dropped the Reaver and removed the right arm band, what he saw confirmed his suspicion. His eyes were wide open gazing at his three fingered clawed hand, while he was turning it slowly.

He needed a large mirror.

His right fingers felt his face. Different, but the same. He wanted a mirror.

He quickly slipped the armband on and picked up the blade. He ran out of the room, an the citadel's corridors searching for what may look like a mirror.

He wanted to see himself. He smiled. He was correct. He had undergone a metamorphoses. What ever that thing that emerged from the balance emblem was, it had triggered this change. It was wonderful, and didn't matter now whose doing it was. He liked his new appearance. What still troubled him was this feeling of weakness. He stopped to catch his breath. How quickly he tired. He found no mirror. He must have been running around for over half a hour. Still nothing. He was in the depths of the citadel. He begun to walk slowly. This place was built by the ancient winged race. Were they not in the least vain? They were beautiful creatures. He had seen the old murals that depicted women in their history. He was certain they would use reflective surfaces to admire their own images.

He walked slowly down the dim corridors of the ancient citadel. Vast and tall with many relieves etched on the walls ad supporting half columns. He pressed onward. The dim lit corridors bore no mirrors.

"Wooo! Great Gods!" he exclaimed as he hanged on with both his hands. Stone chunks fell on a granite floor beneath him. A loud noise echoed around the empty halls of the ancient edifice. The floor had given way and Kain was now hanging by his hands from the edges. As he looked down he saw a dark room in which no being set foot for what appeared to be a millennium. He let go and landed on the hard floor. He was close to a wall of the room. There were unlit torches on it. He tried to fire a telekinetic bolt at it. He failed. Kain frowned.

"Is it possible that this alteration affected my abilities as a vampire?"

He tried to use telekinesis on the torch. It didn't move from its place on the wall. He searched his entire being as he closed his eyes.

"If what I sense is right then I am worse of than the time I was a fledgling. And if Mobius or the Demon God were not the makers of this situation then the ancients must have made the emblem." Is, or should I say was, my form so defiled that it took al my powers to heal my body as well? Apparently so." Said Kain aloud as he raised the Reaver to launch a bolt of fire at the torch.

Light filled the room. One torch after another lit up in sequence and the room was bathed in orange light.

Kain looked around to see what this room was. A rectangular room with mirror walls and stone floor. As he gazed at his appearance his suspicion was confirmed. The emblem had locked inside it the essence of the ancient race. And it had turned him into one of them. He looked so much like his fledgling self. His blue gray skin shone in the dancing fire light. He removed his armbands and looked at his hand .Three finger clawed hands. And most peculiar and beautiful of all were the large wings on his back. He spread them wide. He felt a sense of power sweep over him. He was the Scion of Balance depicted in the Spirit Forge Murals.

With the Soul Reaver on his back, and disregarding his arm bands, Kain turned to inspect the room. A large square sarcophagus lay in the middle of the room. Its lid had the relief of an ancient winged being laid on his back his hands on the chest. A mortuary pose.

Kain approached the casket. An inscription was on the side in two different alphabets. The top one was unrecognizable to him. But the bottom one made perfect sense.

"Here we lay to rest Vladimir Corrino the 22nd emperor of the Eldar. Our ruler in times of darkness and obeyer of the great god Eru, we let you depart to your fate and pray for your resurrection as it is the way. May you see the light and Eru bless your journey to the blessed realm. We, your people, announcer that the line of rulers lies unbroken by your ascension and that the true belief will conquer all lands of the non believers. We lay your body at dusk and await your soul's guidance at dawn"

This piece of information told Kain more about the ancient race then any old texts and murals revealed. He took some steps back and his wings touched a rack that tipped over. He spun around. The sound of metal crashing on stone filled his ears. What he hit was an armor rack. The dead emperor's armor. The golden armor still glistened after all this time. What craftsmanship! Kain stretched out his left hand to touch it. Extraordinary. He felt a tingling from the metal. It was imbued with some sort of magic to protect the bearer. And as he looked at it, he thought to himself, why not. The former bearer was dead for a long time.

He grabbed the armor set and quickly suited himself. He looked in the mirror. Perfect fit. Glorious. A fitting armor for the future emperor of Nosgoth. But before this was to come to pass he had a battle ahead of him. He looked around. On the left wall was a gold table with marble decorations on which a tiara and two rings were laid. Kain drew closer. His eyes opened wide. These artifacts surely belonged to the Emperor himself. He slipped the rings on each hand. He felt a strange power enveloping him. Elusive, yet present. His eyes were drawn to the tiara. The golden twisting elongated leafs from which it was made stopped at the front where a hovering red ruby stud. As he put his hand on it the jewel began to glow. Clearly a magical artifact destined for the Emperor of the ancient winged race, the Eldar. He took the tiara and placed it on his head. Now he knew what he had to do. On his head lay the crown of probably the last emperor. The race which erected the pillars, the forgers of the Reaver, the worshipers of the demonic elder god, called Eru. They might enlighten him as to the nature of his great enemy.

Although he was still weak his body was protected from harm by his new armor. He walked toward the hole in the vaulted ceiling. On his left, near the wall opposite the armor rack was a golden encrusted elongated object 60 cm in length. Kain drew closer. He picked it up. He felt a strange power within the thing. He concentrated on the dim humming from inside it. Suddenly the two cones at its ends split open and a with a ghostly sound the purpose of the object was revealed. It was the Emperor's weapon. The metal object was the pommel of a double blade weapon. Its blades shimmering white like a ghost, insubstantial. But the Soul Reaver was his and it far outweighed this twin blade in power. Kain closed it and placed the weapon on its rack before continuing towards the hole.

With a strong flap of dark wings Kain was out and heading for an exit from the Eldar citadel.

He knew where he must go. North and then in the depth of the mountain. To get answers, to find out his destiny. It was time for this drama to end. At his hands. On his terms. The elder god Eru will finally join his wheel.


	2. Chapter 2

_There is no living soul that wishes not to know its future._

_And in its attempts to see it he might stumble across_

_a way to do so. It is then that the realization is shocking._

_For the most terrifying thing of all is to see yourself _

_staring back at you, and to finally discover that _

_which you knew all along. Your efforts useless._

Comments on the chronoplast guardianship, the God- Emperor, 1st year 5th Age

He gently touched down on the floor of the dim fire lit room. It was empty. He turned around to inspect his surroundings. Mirror walls each bearing a torch. He gazed upopon his image for the first time. His athletic body, his black wings, his pitch black hair. His blue grey skin reflecting the light ever so slightly.

He turned towards the room's center. The stone sarcophagus lay still in the middle. He approached and gazed at the sculpture on the lid. He read the inscription.

"Vladimir Corrino, Emperor of the Eldar. The name stirs no memory, although I am clearly of the same race. Was he ever my master? Why is there nothing before my awakening in the chamber. Who was I?"

Frustration crept over him. He raised himself and saw the golden weapon on its rack on the opposite wall. He circled the coffin to lift the object to his eyes. As he looked at it the weapon opened up. Sharp pain erupted in his chest. He fell on one knee. The pain throbbed where his hear was now beating so fast it seamed to be bursting from within. His eyes closed.

"Why am I feeling this…..Why is this thing affecting me so much?"

And just as sudden as it came, the pain receded. He gazed at the weapon's twin ghost shimmering blades as he got up. He narrowed his eyes. This weapon reminded him of something. This weapon may have had something to do with his memory loss. But what. He gave it a few swings. A light weapon, the blades carried no weight at all. He bet they would cut through any material. The weapon of the emperor. It would serve him well. He closed it.

"What else could I find of use in this place. And a better question. Where is the noise maker?"

He looked around. The rack behind him was empty. The golden marble table on his right was devoid of anything. Clearly someone else had been here. But where was it now. Then something caught his eye.

On the right corner he glimpsed a tiny reflection. He walked to that wall. As he neared he saw a fine line on the wall. As he followed it, it became clear that the line was the rim of a door. With his left hand he pushed on the wall. The door barely moved. He leaned in on his shoulder and the door slowly opened. What strength was needed to open it!

The room was similar to the one he came from in every aspect. In the middle lay another stone sarcophagus. The torches already burned brightly. On the right was a rack holding garments protected by a shimmering shield. On the wall opposite a gold marble table was holding three gleaming objects. He walked towards the coffin. If the lid on the other one depicted the emperor in his armor, this also depicted a male of the same species dressed in the garments on the rack. The inscription on the side read:

"Here we lay to rest Attila Audron the High Council member to the 21st ,22nd and the 23rd emperor of the Eldar. Our guide in times of darkness and obeyer of the great god Eru, we let you depart to your fate and pray for your resurrection as it is the way. May you see the light and Eru bless your journey to the blessed realm. We, the people, announcer that the line of rulers lies unbroken by your ascension and that the true belief will conquer all lands of the non believers. We lay your body at dusk and await your soul's guidance at dawn"

It must be the traditional way the dead were passed into the next world. He turned and looked at the garments. A sleeveless robe, a pair of pants, armor boots, a sash and a long ribbon with strange inscriptions. He touched the shimmering shield. It rippled but did not allow his fingers to go any further.

"This shield must be protecting them from the decay of time."

He gazed at the base of the rack. A large silver incrusted marble slab. He turned one blade of the weapon on and with a gentle swing he cut the slab, leaving a gashing wound on its side. The blade passed as if the hard marble was butter. No opposition what so ever. He then switched of the meter long ghost blade for the shield was gone. He quickly put on the garments. They fit quite nicely. He moved over to the table which held a ring with an embedded small crystal pyramid, a golden armband with strange markings and a spiraling gold snake. As he placed these objects on, he felt a rush of energy through his body. Invigorating.

But there was no time to enjoy these new gifts. A loud noise of tumbling stone echoed from a few stories above.

He broke into a run, rushed up through the hole in the ceiling of the Emperor's tomb. His wings gave him lift and the ran became a flight through the upper corridors. He clutched the golden weapon tight in his fist. Soon he came to another gaping hole recreantly made in a outside wall. In the distance he could see mountain tops and forests beginning where this large lake ended. And almost at the horizon line a black speck rushing northward. As he looked more attentively he could distinguish that it had wings by the specific movement it had. But it was no bird. It was something like him. There lay his answers.

He dived of the wall and began to flap his wings. He felt the cold air rushing past him. He caught the currents easily. Flying was like second nature to him. The more he flapped the more speed he got. The terrain beneath him became a blur. He squinted his eyes which now hurt from the cold wind, but he was determined not to loose sight of his prey.

Soon enough the one he was following disappeared in the distant mountains. He pressed on.

He landed on an outcropping which gave into a cave, after doing a few circles above it to determine where his prey had disappeared. He raised the twin blade at elbow level prepared to fend off any aggressor. He started walking in the dark cave. It was cold and dark. He activated on blade. Its ghostly shimmer cast a white light around. In the far end lay a tunnel. He heard mechanical noises. He broke into a run. His prey was unaware of his tailing. Therefore he was temporarily safe from any traps. A loud boom echoed through the tunnels as he came to face two large closed doors bearing the symbol of infinity. He flung his right foot into one of them. It flew open.

Light hit his eyes. He entered switching off the weapon. The room was large and circular, with a strange machinery hanging from the ceiling that mimicked a starry sky . The room itself was structured on terraces with control panels on each level. Opposite him at the same top level was a gateway of some sort which just switched off. The room was empty. His prey had eluded him.

A strange sense of recognition swept over him. This room was the Chronoplast Chamber. How he knew this was a mystery, but he was sure this was its name. Its purpose, time travel. But what he didn't remember was how to work it. The machinery on the ceiling was still. He decided to give it a try.

He flew towards one of the control panels to his right. He moved the heavy leaver to one side. The machinery began to spin as a glyph on the panel lit up.

He frowned. It might just work. He flew to the opposite wall on the lower level and repeated the process. Lighting began to encircle the machinery. He flew up and to the left on another level to turn one last leaver. A bolt of lighting struck the top of the gateway. It was activated. Success.

Now for the plunge. With a great flap of his large wings he was near it. He hesitated just for a moment.

"It's all up to chance now. My mind is in fragments. But this will give me the answers I seek, one way or another!"

He stepped through. Darkness. He felt like plunging into a bottomless pit. He felt light and very dizzy. Light flashes flared around him. There was no bearing. He felt sick. And then it stopped. He felt the hard ground beneath his feet, but still he felt the vertigo.

"Move and I will chop that head of your shoulders as you blink!" a harsh voice full of anger reached his ears. He froze.

A large battle axe was held at his neck. It was held by a man, clad in armor, a half cloche covering his right body side. His long straight blond hair framed a white face that held a poisonous look towards him. The mans left hand held a similar battle axe over his head ready to carry out the dead he promised. To his surprise this man had the most peculiar thing on his back. Large leathery wings.

* * *

Kain walked quickly down the path he knew so well. The Soul Reaver securely strapped to his back. Although it was pitch black he saw perfectly. He still had some of his vampiric heightened senses. The tunnel he was in lead deeper into the mountain, deep towards the Chronoplast Chamber.

He would find passage there for the time he needed to see. That was the sole thing on his mind when he decided to leave the Citadel. He was so eager that he used the Reaver to blow a hole in a side wall. Instant exit. It took him a while to get adjusted to flying using wings. His bat swarm ability was gone. He had to rely on his wings. A tricky affair since he had never used a pair in his long life. But in the end he got the sense of it.

Now he rushed towards the chamber. Anything else was pointless. This age held no more useful information for him. It was time to depart.

He pushed the heavy metal doors aside and jumped in the center of the Chronoplast. Built by the Eldar themselves and used by the Time guardians.

He used his wings to jump to key control panels. As he turned them on each contributed to the ceiling machinery's activation. Soon the time portal established itself.

Kain remembered the last time he used it. It seamed so long ago since he and Raziel dueled here.

"We each play out the part destiny has written for us." Those were the words he spoke then. Kain sighed.

"Are we heading towards the end of this ordeal, my first born son?" he said as he pulled the Reaver from his back. It gave no answer. He expected none. "Or are we doomed to fail and this is just another step towards that final moment?"

He hoped not. And with careful steps he passed through the portal.

He was familiar with the strange sensation. Soon he felt the floor beneath his feet. He was at the center of the Chronoplast Chamber.

A shadow flew in from the left side. He caught a glimpse with the corner of his eye. He ducked, holding his new wings close to his back.

A cool wind passed above him. A winged being just landed on his right clutching a long saber in each of its three fingered hand. Covered in a light armor the elda took a swing at him as he raised himself. He leaned back barely avoiding the blow. The other sword came into play trying to hit him. Kain parried with the Reaver. The other winged being started a flurry of blows, like a mortal blade dance. Kain used all of his skill just to fend it off. He ducked and passed behind his attacker only to find another elda in a draping scarlet robe. It fired a magical bolt that he was forced to parry using the Reaver, which he quickly moved it on his back defending a sword blow, before he flung himself to the left turning to face his aggressors. Two more winged beings, elda, came flying in towards him from the top levels. Mages, holding some sort of energy bolts in their hands.

Kain felt a sharp blow to his back that knocked him to the ground. From behind another eldar swept in kicking the Reaver out of his hand.

A great weight fell on him, and he knew yet another elda landed on top of him, pinning his body to the ground. He wanted to push himself up on his hands, but before he could act a cold hard metal boot struck his head from the top. Kain cursed trough his clenched teeth as his skull hit the stone floor hard.

"Do not move elda, or we will return your soul to the Wheel!"

The voice came from above, most likely from the one crushing his skull. It was a deep baritone mail voice, calm and full of authority.

As much as his position allowed him, he rolled his eyes and determined that he was surrounded by no more then 8 winged beings. A sword tip was pushed right in front of his nose into the hard stone floor sending sparks in all directions.

He had made the wrong decision in coming here. The time was right, for these were clearly the ancient vampires who raised the pillars, the eldar. But they wanted nothing to do with him. A sudden intruder from an unknown time.

As he had just saw, these were exceptional fighters. Even in his weak state his sword mastery did not diminish one bit. This was most surprising.

He thought what could he do in this situation. But his salvation came in another form. His head was set in such a way that he saw towards the door. With a loud creek they were opened and a blond young female elda came into the chamber. The air of authority and nobility hung around her as she stared angrily at his aggressors. Her steps made her simple white dress move like a stormy ocean.

"What is the meaning of all this noise!" She demanded. Her voice vas powerful and instantly an answer was given.

"He came through time and bears the Reaver blade!" the same baritone voice.

She looked at the blade which lay on the floor a meter from Kain's body.

"And is this blade reason enough to slay an elda?" se attested without raising her eyes from the saber. "I doubt that he will grant us any answers if he is dead." She frowned as she looked closer at the Reaver.

"That is not a real impediment Selene. I have ways of overcoming that little obstacle." As the baritone voice boomed full of pride.

"I'm sure you can Nuruil, I'm sure you can." She said looking at the elda that pressed on his skull. "Now let him go!"

In an instant all took a couple of steps back. Kain propelled himself up on his hands. He stud straight looking at his benefactor:

"I thank you for your assistance…"

"Don't thank me yet. I might still grant your soul passage to the Wheel. Time will tell." The white dressed blond said as she approached him. "I am Selene Audron, the Balance Guardian."


	3. Chapter 3

"_Knowledge prevents learning! The more knowledge_

_one accumulates the more one is likely to oversee the_

_benefits of learning. Prejudice sets in, and you will find_

_yourself ignorant to the world around you. Keep your_

_mind open! We have neglected that and it led to our doom._

_Do not let it lead to yours. Success is beyond our power._

_We have knowledge but we refuse learning. We must strip _

_ourselves of the festering ways of the former leaders. Time to learn!"_

Excerpts from the diary of the Hylden General Hil'do'vass.

So these were the ones. The nine original Pillar Guardians. Not only did he return to the right time but he also met exactly the ancients he wanted. One thing stud between him and the knowledge he needed. Their desire to murder him.

Kain frowned slightly. It is only polite then to state your name and purpose:

"I am Kain. I came here to…."

"Your demands will wait until we decide your fate." Said the baritone voice behind him.

Kain turned his head to look straight at the elda which only moments ago was about to crush his skull.

"I'm afraid my fate has been decided a long time ago, and by powers far more dangerous then yourselves"

"Mind your tongue intruder. The words you utter next might be your last" said a youthful voice as a sword tip found its way close to his neck. The eldar who wielded two blades was clearly hot tempered.

He looked at each of them. All beautiful creatures, their blue gray skins shining in the camber's light. Four males and four females. Each unique in their own way. They robes in which almost all were dressed were different and vividly colored. Only the balance guardian wore white.

His attention was quickly drawn back to Selene as she spoke:

"Until we know what to do with you we will take you to the Citadel."

That sounded good. The ancient citadel in the middle of the lake has the center of eldar rule, and more then that it held the elemental forges, and of course the true enemy.

"As our prisoner" she continued. "Bind him !"

His head turned in all directions. This was outrageous. He came here to rid Nosgoth of the curse that was the ancient god and now he was treated as a common prisoner. He, Kain, the ruler of Nosgoth. But what could he do? He did not risk another skirmish. He had to survive. He decided to do nothing and bide his time. When the opportunity would come he would brake free.

A red haired elda approached him. She concealed something in her hand. So young so beautiful. Her purple robes flowed about her voluptuous body at every step. Her movements were mesmerizing. She raised her left hand and placed it on his chest. Her mouth formed a slight smile. She retracted her hand. Kain felt dizzy, weak. He felt his knees give way. He steadied himself. His muscles fell into a strange relaxation. His hands did not obey any of his commands. He had control over his head.

"What sort of sorcery is this?"

The woman in purple robes spoke in a silky out worldly voice:

"It is a simple restrainer. It will allow you to walk and answer any of our questions. But nothing more."

The one called Nuruil gave him a strong bump as he exited the Chronoplast chamber. Kain made a few awkward steps before his feet found balance again. One by one the Guardians exited the Chamber. Selene picked up the Reaver using both her hands holding the enchanted blade like a the holy relic they always considered it to be. The two bladed guardian gave Kain a shove towards the door. He obeyed peacefully. Selene was the last to exit.

- - -

They went down the path that led down the mountain to the hills below. This forested area would come to be known in his time as Termogent forest, where the first human made vampire would dwell. He was in the middle with Selene behind him. They walked silently in a straight line.

Before departing the mountains all guardians equipped themselves with some sort of armor. But only one of them carried any kind of weapon. The elda which first attacked him, the one wielding two blades. He was the one leading the group. Clearly he was the Conflict Guardian. Kain could now get a better look at him. A tall strong elda with a wide back and a muscular torso. His long black hair that reached his waist was caught in a tight tail by use of a silver ring at the nape of his neck.

They were a silent procession. The air was still, and as they walked steadily through the trees not a sound was heard except for their footsteps.

Kain's ears picked up a barely audible shrill. He looked around and saw nothing. The conflict guardian stopped and drew the blades. All were in a fighting stance. They must have heard the sound as well.

They stood silent as the shrill became louder. Then something hit the first guardian's blade. A muffled explosion precluded a dense smoke that erupted from what must have been a projectile. Kain heard two more distinct shrills. One hit a tree to his left, the other someone at the end of the row.

Suddenly the whole area was covered in a dense grey green smoke that barely let any light through. Kain took a few awkward steps back and bumped into some one. As fast as the restraint on his chest allowed him he turned. In front of him was Selene clutching the Soul Reaver now covered by a white cloth.

"What's happening?" he asked.

"A Hylden attack party. We must find cover. Costa will deal with them."

His shock was indescribable. Hadn't the pillars been erected and the foul race banished?

"But the Hylden were sent to another dimension when the pillars were raised" he argued.

Selene grabbed his arm and pulled him to the left.

"I do not know how you know that, but yes they were banished." She put him up against a tree. "But a handful remained and continued the struggle. Although it seams futile they manage to make a lot of damage, and disappear after each attack."

They were still in the smoke. Kain heard sounds of clashing metal. Screams of pain and death echoed through the forest. Shouts in strange languages reached his ears. Costa, who must be the Conflict Guardian seamed to be doing a good job. His skill, as much as Kain could asses from their brief skirmish, was truly exceptional.

Just then a shadow crashed from one of the trees striking Selene in the back and pinning her to the ground. A silhouette was now distinguished standing on top of the first Balance Guardian. Kain could easily make out the Hylden's outline. He pushed his body into the tree. This Hylden warrior was going to kill him in a matter of seconds, and the restrain on his chest made it very difficult for him to defend himself. The warrior drew a shining sword from the belt. The slow speed of his actions told Kain that this creature had encountered prisoners like him before. He was sure of his victory and savored every moment. The Hylden raised the blade and brought it down hard targeting Kain's head. The latter ducked and rolled to the right at the last moment.

Kain cursed his restraints. But the effect he counted on was achieved. The Hylden had put so much force in his blow that his blade became imbedded in the tree. He now tried to yank it out, but with no success. Kain kept his balance on the soft earth of the forest. He through his body against the warrior hitting him hard with his left shoulder. The Hylden stumbled and fell on his back. Kain tried to smash the warrior's head with his metal boot. But to his surprise, the Hylden reacted quickly and grabbing the incoming heal, tossed Kain backwards, making him trip over Selene. She got up just after that. The Hylden was already on his feet. He jumped, and threw a kick at the first balance guardian knocking her down. He then went straight for the sword imbedded in the tree trunk.

Selene was getting up.

"Use the Reaver !" Kain whispered.

She looked at him in disbelief. Then at the cloth covered blade. She went for it, taking it in both her hands. She barely lifted the heavy blade to her eye level. If things went as Kain hoped he would be free again. The opportunity he was awaiting for. The Hylden turned to look at her. Kain distinguished his features in the clearing smoke. A male, but different from the skeletal wraiths he met as a fledgling in Meridian. This warrior was muscular and broad shouldered. A breastplate, greaves and armbands made up his amour. His face could be considered beautiful and youthful if it wasn't for all the scars that crisscrossed it. He smiled as he looked at Selene. He left the sword imbedded in the tree ant started walking towards her. He clearly knew what she was holding in her hands. The weapon of the enemy hero that was destined to fight the Hylden messiah.

The warrior came near her, as Selene took a few broad swings, setting her off balance. The Hylden grabbed her hands and threw a kick in her stomach that sent her flying near the place Kain was still laying in the earth. Curiously how easily she was defeated. She was suppose to be a vampire but clearly, her strength was no where near what it should be. And the Hylden was any human warrior. What was she feeding on? Anyway, his chance of freedom was here. As the warrior picked up the Soul Reaver, and Selene was getting up slowly, Kain whispered:

"Release me from these bonds!" she gazed at him in disbelief. "you know I'm a better fighter than you at this moment."

"It makes no difference, he has the Reaver. Any wounds would be healed instantly"

"Trust me! I can defeat him. Just get this thing off my chest."

She hesitated. Then with a deep intake of air she took the metal surrounded jewel that created his restraints, from his chest. Immediately Kain felt his life force pumped back into his body. The weakness was gone.

He jumped to his feet. The Hylden warrior came towards him taking a few swings at the air with the Reaver to get a feel for it. Then he tried to thrust it in Kains body. The vampire dodged to the left, clawing the hylden's face with his right hand, then followed with a punch to the back of the neck. The warrior stumbled towards a tree. He shook his head and turned.

Kain was ready. They circled each other. The Hylden crouched down. His eyes were focused on the vampire through the blood that now covered his face. He flung forward extending his hands which clutched the blade. Kain dogged the thrust to the left again, stepping back. The warrior turned and straitened his back. He Thrust the sword at the vampire again. Kain feinted to the left but quickly dodged to the right avoiding a mortal swing the Hylden made. Kain laughed. It felt good to fight again. His new body, despite lacking his former power, moved effortlessly like it had been his forever.

The Hylden turned to face the vampire. He growled. With a loud battle cry he began a flurry against Kain. The Scion of Balance avoided each swing, dodging under the blade and coming behind his enemy. He drove his fist hard into the hylden's lower back. His adversary screamed in pain, but quickly turned toward the vampire. Kain smiled. This fight must draw to a close. He would not be able to keep this up for much longer. He needed nourishment.

The Hylden feinted to the right but came thrusting the Reaver to the left. Kain opened his black wings, dodging the blade. The plumage effectively blinded his adversary. The vampire coiled his right arm around the hylden's thus immobilizing the enemy and his weapon. Now trapped, he growled. Kain laughed.

Selene was getting up and looking at the two at them standing side by side.

"Impressive, Kain! Now kill him"

Her voice sounded so appealing. Like it sang to his soul. He suddenly realized that his left hand was going to the hylden's neck. It was a move to strangle made without his volition. He ceased it instantly.

"What sorcery is that?"

"No sorcery, just special inflexions of my voice."

Kain frowned. He brought his right arm close to his body forcing the enemy's back to his own chest. The enemy groaned in pain as his forced hand then dropped the Reaver. With his free hand, he grabbed the hylden's jaw pulling slightly to reveal the neck. He would enjoy his meal. With his eyes fixed on Selene, Kain opened his mouth jus barely and sank his teeth slowly in his victims arteries. He shut his eyes. The blood poured into his mouth, hot and lush. It immersed his tongue, this warm nourishing liquid before it slipped down his throat. It gave him a feeling of dislocation. He felt no ground beneath his feet, no air around him. There was only him and his victim, shrouded from the world in their private night, warm and pleasurable. Heat spread through Kain's body, and reached his fingertips. He felt dizzy weak, empowered. His heart began pumping harder. He squeezed the hylden's body gently and then harder, to feel every part of his victim. It obeyed. No movement, no fear. Nothing but the exquisite pleasure that only a vampire could bestow. It was intoxicating, thrilling. He felt his mind drift off. The world was spinning all around him. Only the blood poured. Only this gentle fire that spread through him. He surrendered to the pleasure. It was orgasmic. Absolute abandonment.

Was it an hour or just seconds? Kain didn't know, nor did he care. The pleasure was still lingering in his body, but the sensation was gone. He opened his eyes and lifted his head, leaving the now dead hylden's body to drop like rags to the earthen forest floor. He looked at Selene. Her wide opened eyes formed a mute question that was on her mind.

"Does it shock you still to see feeding on blood?"

She reverted to her cold commanding appearance:

"It is a sacrilege to feed of another sentient being."

Kain bent over to pick up the Soul Reaver and put it on his back.

"Sacrilege?! It is the way to feed" Kain said raising his tone" Our way. It is about survival! Blood is Life ! "

She smiled coldly "You did not seam to be just surviving, just then. Why, you almost enjoyed it."

Kain drew closer to her. The first balance guardian was one head shorter than he, but her deep blue eyes seamed to see straight into his soul. He gazed at her loving face the tips of their noses almost touching.

"I did not enjoy it, I raveled in it. I abandoned my senses to its mesmerizing pleasures!"

"You are a vile creature ! " she replied venomously.

Kain laughed. He turned around heading for the tree behind him.

"Seeing the situation we find ourselves in, I don't think my nature is subject to scrutiny" he said grabbing the imbedded sword. With a powerful heap he yanked the blade out of the tree trunk. It was a normal length saber, with bony horns as the guard. Kain gave it a few swings as he turned towards Selene.

"It's one of ours. The Hylden must have taken it from one of the corpses during skirmishes" she said.

Kain went to her, stopping on the way to relive the dead of a belt and sheath.

"I think its time to get acquainted with one another, seeing that your friends have abandoned you."

It was true. The sounds of metal clashes and battles were long gone. The thick smoke almost dissipated, leaving behind a milky fog. Selene turned her head in both directions trying to pick up a sound. All was still. Kain handed her the blade and sheath. She received it looking curiously at the objects:

"I am no fighter."

"You will be ! You must be. You can not rely on magic to fend off troubles."

She looked long at him as she strapped the belt over her armor. She gave the blade a few swings to the feel of it. Selene held the blade at eyelevel parallel to her armor. She narrowed her eyes and put the left palm on the metal. A slow wave of light blue energies flowed from her hand, as her lips moved fast murmuring some kind of silent incantation. The blade began to glow and vibrate. After a minute it suddenly stopped. She gave the blade another few swings. It now had a ghostly sound to it. Kain raised one eyebrow.

There was a loud crack of wood. The two vampires looked up as a rain of leafs covered their faces. A lean Hylden warrior dropped to the ground, crouching then flinging his body against Kain knocking him into the tree. The fighter got up and turned to face the other vampire. He leaped into the air, drew a long silvery curved sword, then came down where Selene was standing. She rolled to the left avoiding the blow. Her sword lit up and a rush of energy went along the blade to materialize itself into a bluish bolt that went towards the Hylden. The latter blocked it with his blade. He screamed in pain dropping the blade. Selene spread her wings and with a power push she took to the air firing three more bolts at her enemy. He jumped left and back avoiding two of them but the third hit his right leg. He belched a scream falling to the ground. The Hylden tumbled forward three times escheating from another bolt, and picked up his blade. He got up on his feet. Selene landed next to him. Their swords clashed. The balance guardian launched a flurry against her enemy. They were not powerful, but the technique was impeccable. The Hylden fought hard to fend her off, not having time to reply with his own hits. He jumped back regaining his ground. His blade was defending his body.

The Hylden attacked with a strong stab, missing his target in by centimeters. She ducked to avoid the follow up swing. Selene got up on her feet and slashed with the blade, leaving a grave laceration on her enemy's left arm. He growled in pain, turned and launched a disparate flurry. She avoided each on, ducked and pushed forward knocking her opponent of balance. She regained her position raised the blade and brought it down on her enemy's sword hand. The hylden's blade and lower arm were on the forest floor. He looked at it in disbelief. The first balance guardian swung the blade now enveloped by light bluish energy at her adversary's head. It struck the body dealing a heavy discharge. The Hylden lay decapitated, his body blackened by the energy wave.

"I must say I am impressed by your performance." Said Kain while he was leaning against the tree, his arms folded across the chest. "I thought you said you weren't a fighter"

Selene sheeted the blade and walked towards him, her every step swinging her round hips:

"True. But that doesn't mean I was not taught who to fight. It is a must at the Imperial Court" she said smiling.

They were close together now, the tips of their noses almost touching.

"I believe you were right, Kain. It is time to get to know each other better"

Kain burst into a loud laughter.


	4. Chapter 4

_When I first stole into this chamber, centuries ago, I did not_

_fathom the true power of knowledge. To know the future, Raziel... _

_to see its paths and streams tracing out into the infinite... As a man, _

_I could never have contained such forbidden truths... But each of us is _

_so much more than we once were... Gazing out across the planes of possibility, _

_do you not feel with all your soul how we have become like gods? And as_

_such, are we not indivisible? As long as a single one of us stands, we are _

_legion... Our futures are predestined - Moebius foretold mine a millennium ago. _

_We each play out the parts fate has written for us. We are compelled ineluctably _

_down pre-ordained paths. Free will is an illusion._

The Tyrant's final words before disappearing into the Time Stream

------

"Tell me who you are and where did you came from. But make it quick before I relieve you of your head!"

This strange being left him with no choice. His memory was absent, his whereabouts unknown.

"I have no idea."

"Do not lie or by what ever is left holy in this land I will smite you down."

The creature before him did not lower his weapons. He did not believe him. How could he, he himself would not believe it.

"I'm telling you the truth. I have no idea. I don't know how I and, I don't know where I came from, and for a matter of fact I don't know where we are right now"

The winged being looked at him narrowing his eyes. He then lowered the two axes, placing them on his belt. He sighed.

"I guess I would have to believe you. Come, follow me"

The blond man turned around and walked towards the exit. The elda followed him.

They walked down corridors which were carved in the mountain's stone, covered in tapestries depicting various moments of what must be the history f this place. Soon they came into a small room, lit by torches. Its walls barren reflected the light giving the atmosphere a warm homey feeling. The floor was covered in pillows of gold and brown colors. The blond man waved a hand towards the floor as he closed the door.

The elda with no memory sat with his front to the door, crossing his feet under him. The blond man took a similar position in front of him.

"I guess it is to be expected" he sighed " Tell me, what do you remember?"

His voice was now warm, with a glimmer of weariness. His youthful face hid a mountain of experience that came with age.

"I remember waking up inside a stone edifice to the south west of here, which lay in the middle of a lake. I have no recollection of how or when it was. To me that happened just a few hours ago."

The blond man listened carefully:

"Since you came through the Chronoplast, that holds no relevance. It might as well be millennia, either past of future"

The elda gazed in disbelief. He continued though hopping to get clarification afterward.

"The place seamed abandoned for some time, except for another like me. I followed him to this mountain, but never got a chance to speak to him, nor get close enough to distinguish his features. As I stepped through the portal, I arrived here. I can only presume that it is the same place."

"You presume right. This is the Chronoplast, a time streaming device allowing passage through time. And I am Lothiam its guardian."

The blond man leaned forward.

To the amnesia elda the name brought back a voice. His vision went blank and in front of him appeared a scene unfamiliar to his eyes. A dark haired with a read half cloak with a white sigil, dressed only in black leather pants and red armbands was holding a long haired blond man in his arms. The former's marble white skin was in stark contrast to the others normal tone. The blond man had a slight glimpse of fear in his bright blue eyes. The voice boomed into his head, but it was full of warmth as the dark haired man uttered: "My youngest child. You are Lothiam the keeper of my secrets. That will be your task since I'll make you a god amongst men". He then brought his mouth down on the blonde's neck in a soft kiss.

The vision was suddenly gone, and the room came into view. In front of him lay the man he just saw. The blond blue eyed man, but now with a marble white skin and large leathery wings. So different. It appeared that he was endowed with a lot of wisdom.

"What happened?" he asked gently

"I had a vision. I had a vision of you in the arms of a man with skin like yours and …" he just noticed. The man in front of him had three fingered clawed hands. And so had the one in his vision. The human Lothiam however did not. "What are you exactly?"

Lothiam shook his head.

"You seam to be truly lost. Where do I begin explaining?"

"Start with you becoming a god among men" the elda said.

Lothiam raised his head to meet his gaze :What did you just say?"

"That is what the man in my vision said to you when you were human."

Lothiam pondered raising a finger to his lips:

"Curious. . . I was alone with him when that event took place. Anyway" his look turning to the elda "I shall begin at the beginning.

"Millennia ago your race ruled over this land, Nosgoth. They went into conflict with another powerful race that claimed supremacy over this land as well, the Hylden. Each practiced their own strange magic. Soon they engaged into a long conflict. Near both races came up with a final solution, the extermination of the other race.

Your race managed to banish the Hylden to another dimension and raised nine pillars to lock the biding. These were white columns that went up into the clouds. The Pillars where bound to Nosgoth, and Nosgoth was bound to them. Each pillar summoned a guardian with particular abilities to act as its will in the land. When one guardian died, another was born to take its place.

The Hylden however, before being banished cursed your race with immortality and blood lust."

Now he understood. He felt the sharp canines in his mouth. He was a vampire. But he had no memory of ever dining on blood. And Lothiam must be one too. The blond man continued:

"This affliction drove your race mad, leading many to commit suicide. When no more Ancients were left, the pillars summoned human guardians to them. But the hearts of men are easily corrupted. With their new gained power they forgot about the land and used their abilities to their own ends. The pillars were corrupted and the white columns which had stood unblemished for two millennia cracked.

"The binding between worlds was strained. Into this world a young noble man was born to take up the role of Balance Guardian. When he reached adulthood he was turned from the light and made a vampire. By that time vampires were hunted down and exterminated by humans.

"Nosgoth was corrupted and the barrier between worlds was collapsing. The only way to restore the pillars was for all the corrupted guardians to die and for new pure ones to be borne. The young vampire did just that, slaying all but one. When he was presented with the choice of sacrificing himself as the last corrupt guardian to restore Nosgoth, or remain for he was the last living vampire, he chose the former. At that moment the pillars shattered and the land was plunged into decay."

"He doomed a world to save his hide? What an imbecile !"

" Do not judge to quickly." Said Lothiam supporting his head with the left hand "When the Pillars tumbled, leaving only their stubs poking out of the ground, the barrier shattered and the Hylden rushed back into this world. Distorted and enraged by the other dimension, the Hylden swept all in their path. They were lead by their fanatical Hylden lord by the name of Hash'ak'gik. Four hundred years after the pillars shattered, the last remaining vampire, the corrupted guardian managed to destroy him. And so began the new vampire rule over Nosgoth. In a land shaken by cataclysm he raised six vampires as his lieutenants. Each started a clan, and all set dominion over Nosgoth.

"In time each of them evolved and began to change their appearance. First their sire and then each in turn. The corrupted guardian became viewed as a god. The humans where turned into slaves and the great vampire lord became the Tyrant. His rule was merciless. The landscape changed, falling deeper into decay. A millennia and a half after the pillars collapsed, his first born lieutenant, Raziel, had the audacity to evolve wings" and on that word Lothiam spread his appendices letting light filter through the leathery membrane. He tucked them back before continuing:

"For his transgression the Tyrant cast him into a whirlpool of water called the Abyss. The touch of water is like acid to our kind, and so he was sent to his doom. His clan was then pray to the others, being leaderless, the Razielim were wiped out. Except for three which took to the east to hide the purge.

"Five hundred years after Raziel was executed, he returned as a wraith seeking vengeance. One by one the degenerated clan leaders fell to his rage. All except for the Tyrant. It was here that their last known fight took place, before they both traveled into the past."

"Did either of them return?"

Lothiam shook his head.

"No. But it was a chance for us to come out of our hiding. I am one of the last surviving Razielim. But when the Tyrant disappeared, the Hylden could return unopposed. They had a new leader : Ha'dra'as. He was a whirlwind compared to the previous one. The Hylden swept into Nosgoth and took control whipping out the remaining degenerate vampires. Only the three of us remained. That was three hundred years ago."

Lothiam bowed his head and sighed. He shook it briefly and with a loud intake of air he continued raising his eyes to the elda:

"In that time we came out of hiding and established key positions around Nosgoth, starting a war to survive. We turned the few willing humans we found to our cause. For three hundred years we fought the Hylden, just to have a place to live.

"They hate our kind. It is our ancestors, your race which banished them, and they want to wipe us from existence. But we are so few and we are barely clinging to what little we have. Our greatest advantage is secrecy and the magic powers of our leader."

The elda with no memory frowned at the last sentence.

"One of you three is the leader, but not you."

Lothiam smiled briefly:

"All three Razielim are equal. No, our leader is another far older than any of us. You will meat him soon. It is imperative. Your blood will give us strength. You, whoever you might be, are our best hope since this ordeal began."

"I would like to believe you. I have no purpose just yet. Maybe your leader can tell me what I am, or who. Your cause sounds just and I will lend you whatever service I can offer. But I have one question"

"By all means, ask away."

"If this land called Nosgoth is ruled by hylden why don't you just leave. Are you so tied to this land?"

Lothiam shook his head

"Yes and no. It is the place of our birth but we do not treasure it that much. But there is no place where we can go.

"You see, the hylden came and conquered Nosgoth in a very short amount of time. Then they set to expand their territory. One hylden lord took dominion of the eastern lake country Nevrast. To the north beyond our current position another hylden lord took command of the twin mountains Thangorodrim and the land around it. To the south lies the great sea and no one has ever sailed past it. That only leaves the west."

Lothiam paused and started laughing.

"That is where the hylden advance first tasted defeat. Beyond the western mountains lay a power none of us had any idea it existed. Not even the Tyrant knew. Not that it would have made any difference. They managed to halt the hylden advance. Ha'dra'as is still planning a campaign against the western kingdoms."

"And why haven't you allied with them?"

"We tried, but they turned us down. They harbor the same hatred as the hylden far our kind. The kingdoms of Mycenae, QuelFalas, and the Confederacy of Nine belong to humans. So we are stuck here facing our enemy.

"But enough history. It is time you get to be seen by our Leader"

10


	5. Chapter 5

"_As I breathe the putrid air and gaze upon the smoke filled skies of Nosgoth I can't help but wonder how things might have turned out if we had won. But now we return and this time we will not fail. Nosgoth is ours and we shall shape it in our image, as it was meant to be. The time of the Hylden has come once again"_

From the speech of Ha'dra'as at the dawn of the second invasion.

Six grand thrones stood in a circle in the middle of a darkened room. A greed sphere emanating light rested on a golden column in the center. On five of the thrones stood emerald ghostly figures in different dress. The six was material and like all the others belonged to the hylden race. His face was stern, despite the two scars on his chin and forehead. His body was raped in a cape that flowed from the golden shoulder pads. Across from him stood a hylden with a crown like crest in front of the long straight hair which came down on his leathery vest with extended shoulders arching out, revealing a muscular chest. His face looked like a cadaver his lips barely covering his teeth. He spoke in a harsh high pitched voice:

"It has come to my attention that the rebel leaders are going to meet. As usual I presume that the location will be the ruins of the former vampire citadel. Thus, it falls to you Hash'ak'dur to deal with them.

The material hylden leaned forward making the Sarafan cross hanging on a chain around his neck sparkle in the dim light:

"I fail to see how that should be so, Hil'do'ren. It can very well fall under the jurisdiction of Meridian and thus you to deal with them." He addressed the one opposite him in a deep resentful voice.

On Hil'do'ren's right stood a hylden dressed in a long fur coat with metal shoulder pads. His twin axe blade like crest was adorned with a three spike crown. He spoke:

"We have fought the vampires ever since we returned here three hundred years ago. The degenerate sons of Kain's lieutenants were easily defeated. But these three are different. Not only have they kept their sane minds but they are unyielding in their endeavor. They resisted us for all this time. Can we hope to defeat them on this one occasion?"

To Hil'do'ren's left stood a hylden who looked like the one who just spoke. He also wore a fur coat, with long sleeves, and underneath one could glimpse a tunic bearing a tribal motive down the middle. His left hand adorned with jeweled rings rested on a cane. His voice was deep baritone and used to command:

"My brother Hi'ya'dras is right. We can not hope to defeat this resistance with one blow. Nor can we expect that only one of us should deal with this nuisance. True, their leader resides in the ruins of the vampire citadel along with another of the surviving Razielim. Another guards the Chronoplast device. And the final one hides in Termogen forest from where he strikes out at all our establishments. We must stand together…."

"Does the lord of Coorhagen fear a vampire insurgence in his fair city?" said a hylden draped in robes and jewels on Hash'ak'dur's left addressing the last one who spoke. The turning to the previous fur clad hylden "Or do the great peaks of the Thangorodrim fortrace shake when they encounter vampires? This is stupid. Just attack in full force and wipe them out. How many are they 20, 50? We shoud not make such a big deal about them."

"For the ruler of distant Nevrast the vampires are little concern, Lord Ha'en'galad", said the ruler of Meridian "since the full might of Avernus and its ruler stand between you and them. But, you see, we are more exposed to them."

"They are not that many, but they do enough damage. Last month a whole shipment of supplies needed for the soldiers waging war in the west, was high jacked by the vampires." Said Hash'ak'dur "not to mention the riot in the streets of Meridian, and the massacre that followed only three months ago"

"They are instigating revolts among the human population", said the ruler of Coorhagen " We should keep in mind that as long as we are trying to conquer the western kingdoms the human population of Nosgoth far exceeds ours. They revolt would spell all out war. Our civilization can not afford a full scale engagement at this time. With each passing day, more and more humans go to the vampire cause considering our rule as infectious and malignant."

"Hi'ya'men, you actually believe that this small fighting force can destabilize our great rule?" said Ha'en'galad "They are the petty remains of a dying race cling to whatever scraps of this world remains, or of which they remember."

"This world has changed. It is no longer the decaying world in which we came three hundred years ago. The skies are clear of poisonous smoke, water runs freely on the surface. The great lakes have reappeared. The mountains teem with vegetation. Nosgoth is healing the corruption of Kain's empire." Said Hy'ya'dras

Hash'ak'dur dropped back on his throne :

"And most notably three Pillars are restored. That is why this land is healing. Our coming and Kain's disappearance are purely coincidental. The restored pillars of Nature States and Mind are the forces driving this healing. The question is, will we return to our prison when the Dimension pillar rises into the clouds, or must all be restored before we go back?"

The last of the six hylden lords which until now had not spoken straitened his back. A long skirt covered the lower part of his body leaving the chest bare. His naked arms were covered in strange twisting tattoo lines. Around his neck hung a chain bearing an elongated crystal trapped by twisting metal pieces. His voice resonated through the room:

"The pillars were meant to seal us in the other dimension. The eldar were the ones who banished us, not the Pillars. When or if they will all be restored makes no difference to us. All the hylden are in this world. As for the remaining vampires…. When we first came back three centuries ago we set out to take back what was ours. Then we divided Nosgoth and the surrounding lands according to merit and House. But remember that it was I who brought us back. And no vampire pestilence or human kingdom will stand in my way.

You may be content with your little kingdoms. But I command you all. My main concern are the human kingdoms of the west. Everything else is trivial. To long have we tried to wipe out the eldar and then the vampires. No more of this. And they number five hounded vampires and humans devoted to this resistance, Ha'en'galad, not just fifty, according to my sources.

To make sure that there are no more petty excuses for lack of action I will appoint one of you to deal with the vampire resistance."

Everybody stood quiet expecting the lord's decision. The moment seamed to drag on forever. Each hylden lord looked at the other. They knew that should the task be unfulfilled, the one responsible would face a fate worse than death. But then again, should he succeed, great rewards would be bestowed upon that one.

The hylden ruler Ha'dra'as continued:

"There is no point in naming the lords of Nevrast or Thangorodrim for this task. It requires geographic proximity. That leaves me with only two options. Hash'ak'dur of Stormforge, or Hil'do'ren of Meridian. Hmmm " he said whilst rubbing his chin.

"I will give House Hash a chance to redeem itself for its failure. I name Hash'ak'dur the one responsible for dealing with the vampire resistance." He said as he turned to his right to gaze at the material hylden. "It is only fitting that since your father failed to hold on to Nosgoth when he first returned, that his son clear his name. You will obliterate the vampires. Now there is no Kain to stop you."

"My father was arrogant and put his faith to much in one artifact…."

"Your father was a fool !" interrupted Ha'dra'as "And his mistake cost us dearly. It is because of him that we were forced to stay a millennium more trapped. That will not happen again. He shouldn't have allowed the Nexus Stone to fall into the vampire's hands to begin with." He squeezed the crystal that hung from his neck. "And now the pieces of the Soul Reaver stand in Avernus Cathedral. There is no way any vampire can make use of the blade. So you have no excuse for failing. I want the vampires wiped out in a year."

"A year? Are you mad? " said the ruler of Stormforge

"Watch your tongue boy ! said Ha'dra'as. "Or you'll be joining your imbecile father quick.

"You have restored the Sarafan Order, just like him. I suggest you make good use of them. No more mistakes. They are fanatic and some are of our kind. And that dog of yours… what was his name? Put him to good use as well. He claims to have power. Unleash him on the vampires. Isn't that for what you allow his existence to go on? If he proves ineffective I will dispose of him myself.

Atone your father's mistakes, Dur. It is now the only way I will tolerate you ! this meeting is over."

And with a wave of his hand the five ghostly hylden silhouettes vanished from the thrones. Hash'ak'dur remained alone. The orb in front of him stopped glowing reverting to a dark green color. His head dropped as he sighed.

The lights turned themselves on. The room was engulfed by orange light coming from the lamps in the wals.

A hylden woman entered wearing a white dress holding her palms together in front of her. She stopped at Hash'ak'dur's left. He raised his eyes to meet her gaze.

"I am condemned to death, Mut. There is no way to destroy the vampires in one year. Not when we have been trying for three hundred years. He means for me to fail. He wants to obliterate House Hash! He called me Dur, simply, did you hear? He forgot the proper protocol of stating House, family and then name." he was getting angrier frowning and clutching his fists. "He claims to be the keeper of the true hylden way, but he humiliated me in front of the other hylden lords. Am I not one of them? Have I not earned my place as ruler of glorious Stormforge and the Sarafan order?' he struck the throne 's arm with his fist. "I have atoned for our father's sin long ago. It is because of me that we managed to reclaim the south of Nosgoth. It is me who keeps the vampires back."

The woman bent down to be at his eye level. She spoke in a kind voice:

"Our father was a great hylden, but too hungry for power. Remember Dur, that he left us imprisoned in the dimension along with the other hylden lords. No wonder none accept his legacy. He caused his own fall. Ha'dar'as is no different. He desires power too much and like our father before him, he will fall. Not by our hand or any of the other hylden lords, but he will fall. It is the natural state of things!"

"But will he kill me first for not fulfilling this task ? That is what matters to me. Why does he not send the Nine to deal with the vampires. The wraiths are said to be unstoppable."

"Because he fears betrayal, Dur. The Nine may be bound to Ha'dra'as but they can still betray him to the vampires. They have not forgotten their origins, even if they are wraiths."

She caressed his cheek:

"But we have never truly focused on these vampires before. After retaking Nosgoth we were more concerned with rebuilding the cities and other conquering matters. But we can now focus on them entirely. And we have the Sarafan Order at our command. And Ha'dra'as is right. Use Malagant, your dog as he put it. Let he prove himself. This can be done brother!"

"You are right. Where there is a will…. I know I love you not just for your beauty."

"You love me because I am your sister" she said smiling .

"That is irrelevant to us. What we share is much more"

"Indeed!" she said as their mouths half opened locked together in a passionate kiss.

_For depictions of the main character go to this link: http:// www. esnips. com/ web/ thearchangelasraelsDarkChronicle (without spaces) _


End file.
